DIY Training Day/Weekend

So, every year my running club does a training weekend, somewhere in the beautiful wilds of Scotland. It's usually a lovely mix of actual training, meeting new people, and ... a bit of a piss up. Training volume for the weekend definitely varies person to person...

This year I couldn't go. So yesterday, when dogsitting for my aunt, I decided to DIY my own 'training weekend' day. Ideally I was aiming for a slightly healthier emphasis than the club one. So here's what I did:

Get Out of Your Normal Environment

You can't do this at home, sorry. You'll end up putting on a wash and fiddling with those clothes you meant to send to the charity shop and looking up that thing on the internet that you heard about. No. You'll also just run your tired old route, or go to your normal gym class. No. That's just your usual life, this is getting out of that.

So call in favours, look after someones house like I did, or go crash with someone you love. Last year I had an awesome DIY training weekend out at a friend's parent's farm. Rolling hills for miles. You don't need to be rural though, where I was isn't and I found gorgeous places to run fast; it'll just take a tad more research.

Eat da Healthy Stuff

C'mon, you knew this was going to be in there. Eat the good stuff, treat yourself a little with some luxury-style health foods and some expensive dark chocolate. You will feel 600 times better; 756 times smugger and inexplicably svelte by the end of the weekend, despite looking precisely the same as before to everyone else.

I ate porridge and fruit breakfast; and lunch of fish and soup. Though, as good health is a sound body and also a sound mind, we also had some takeout curry at night. Health is all about balance, right? Tasty, tasty balance.

Mmmm, balance.

Multiply Exercise per Day

Whereas you may only do one thing per day at home, recreate the fitness camp atmosphere by doing a few. I ran on the most gorgeous trails and also did a Nike Training Club workout (have the app on my phone!) and some yoga.

Seriously though, look at this. I almost forgot I was running it was so damned pretty. I also saw no one, has the zombie invasion started and I haven't noticed?

Brilliant place names

Ooh whats this?

The view from those windows

Work in Recovery

This overall idea is meant to be fun, so take some chill time in your DIY weekend too. At night I did 20 mins of the yoga for runners session from the Sweaty Betty online community then was aiming to sink into a bad boy of a bath for a few hours. Great for the tired muscles (and for the smell from 3 workouts...). However, it was not to be as I couldn't work out my aunt's taps! Luckily for all those in smelling distance, I got my bath this morning.

I also relaxed a lot whilst walking my little charge for the weekend. He doesn't go far as he's quite old, but he loves a quiet wander.Sadly today I have a lot of work to do then have to go home! So this was a one day only 'training camp' for me. I did do some reading on Saturday, but I badly needed that day spent on trails and relaxing and eating well.

In other news I'm going to chuck the Sunday Summary in here too; this week I've done Monday Supercircuits - an extra hard class with burpees in-between every station; ran 3mi with 5 fast hill sprints and 1 long hard hill sprint on Wednesday; did Kettlebells on Thursday with high weights; ran 3 miles, did NTC and Yoga on Saturday; and today will do a 5 mile run. Phew. No wonder dem quads hurt.

-------------------------------------------Have you ever DIY-ed a fitness weekend or getaway?

PS: Pretty excited to note that Sweaty Betty is opening a store in Glasgow's Royal Exchange next Friday. I plan on writing more about this early in the week, so keep an eye out!